Lovely as our Socialcentre Plus is, we feel it could do with some springtime sprucing up. If you have banner making skills, are artistically inclined, or just like to splodge paint on paper, please come down and get involved. Our materials are unfortunately limited, so any old sheets, paints, paper etc will be massively appreciated. See you then!

Social Centre Plus – who occupied the old Job Centre on Deptford High Street in order to create “an anti-cuts space for the community” – celebrated completing their brief move next door by announcing a new programme of events and another Open Day for this Wednesday (20th).

“Following last Tuesday’s failed eviction attempt by bailiffs and builders sent by landlord Paul Jackson,” Jenny Wilshere said, “the SCP Collective decided to move out of number 122 into number 124 next door. You can currently find us by knocking on the door underneath the ‘Christ Life’ sign.”

The move was undertaken in order to maintain a safe space open to the community, Wilshere said on behalf of the anti-cuts group. “Despite the fantastic showing from almost 100 local residents in order to prevent the bailiffs from entering last Tuesday,” she continued, “we can’t be sure that the Locks Bury Services thugs won’t return with heavy tools and violent intentions. So we felt that the best way of keeping open a genuinely community-led space against the cuts was by moving into a new site which had no legal eviction order hanging over it.”

Wilshere emphasised that the space was once again open to the community, and that Wednesday’s Open Day – which will include food, drinks, a film and even a barbecue (“weather-permitting!”) – would be the first of many. “We have loads of events planned, but we want members of the local community to continue to make use of the space, so we once again invite everyone to come and pay us a visit for a quick cuppa and a nice chat.”

SOCIAL CENTRE PLUS, the occupied Job Centre on Deptford High Street, successfully resisted an attempted eviction the morning of Tuesday 12th. Around 60 people gathered outside the space, linking arms and blocking the front door so as to prevent High Court bailiffs and builders – backed up by a vanload of police – from entering.

The victory was achieved following an hour-long stand-off, during which the bailiffs – from Locks Bury Services – met with Paul Jackson, the site’s landlord, were spotted outside the Deptford Project, the café opposite Social Centre Plus, whose owner also wanted the space for a high society art exhibition. There they made a series of frantic phone calls in which they spelt out their reluctance to confront the occupiers inside the anti-cuts space, some of whom were positioned on the building’s roof.

Eventually the police informed the bailiffs that they had no intention of intervening, and recommended that they come back another day. Members of the local community remained outside SCP for most of the morning, savouring the success for South East London’s anti-cuts movement.

However, the SCP Collective is well aware of the continued threat to the space. A second eviction attempt must be expected, and this time Locks Bury will come unannounced, and with the necessary tools and thugs to remove the occupiers. Despite this, SCP remains committed to hosting and facilitating the local anti-cuts movement, even if they do have to move on from 122 Deptford High Street.

With this in mind, SCP hosted a public meeting the night before the eviction resistance in order to coordinate further activities against the government’s brutal cuts, both at local and national level. The NHS, local education and attacks to quality of housing were amongst the issues discussed. Local residents who want to join the borough’s fight back against the cuts are encouraged to get in touch or come along to one of our imminent Open Days.

Social Centre Plus, the occupied Job Centre on Deptford High Street, faces an attempted eviction by bailiffs this Tuesday morning and we want YOU to help us defend it!

We need people to demonstrate against the would-be closure of the space outside the front entrance from 10AM ONWARDS.

SCP was occupied last month to create a community hub for activities against the government’s cuts. We’ve had a raft of meetings and discussions alongside cafés, film showings, live recitals and children’s days.

We want to continue to use this space but for that we need your help! A raucous demonstration in support of the community and against the cuts will help stop the bailiff thugs.